Georgians Targeted In South Ossetia There are reports of looting by pro-Moscow separatists in South Ossetia, the breakaway region of Georgia. Reports say Georgians are being targeted, their houses burned and entire villages chased away. South Ossetian militants are reportedly committing similar acts against Georgians in Russian-held areas of Georgia. The Russian government says it can't control the actions of the pro-Moscow separatists. Human Rights Watch has downplayed Russia's claims that Georgia committed human rights violations against civilians in South Ossetia during the conflict that began last week. One doctor in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, told Human Rights Watch he saw no more than 300 patients in all — most of them military personnel. There is little evidence to support Russia's claims of ethnic cleansing by Georgia, says NPR's Gregory Feifer. Feifer, who is in the town of Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia, tells Melissa Block that despite the tensions, the violence is unlikely to escalate into a Balkan-style conflict. "I don't think it's going to reach the level of the Balkans, because I think frankly some of it is being fanned by the Russian government," he says. He says, however, that the antagonism among the various ethnic groups is growing, and it is impossible to tell now what the long-term consequences are going to be. source
Crimes are crimes no matter who commits them. Whoever is responsible for them must be held accountable.
Its too early to judge now, wait till they collect the whole info and inspect dead bodies. P.s: I wonder what was the doctor's name? Mister fiction? 34K people who run to Russia isnt still enough to see whom ossetians blame for this?
What always makes me sick is when people who lived peacefully as neighbors for years so easily slip into the "us versus them" mentality and turn on their own friends and neighbors simply because they are a different ethnic group. From what I have heard both the Georgians and the South Ossetians have been doing that. Once Russia got behind the South Ossetians it looks like the South Ossetians have had an orgy of violence in response. There is footage of drunk Ossetians just stealing, at gun point, cars from reporters with Russian soldiers just idly watching. I pity all the Civilians who can't just simply live their lives but are paying the price for the actions of their leaders. Things like this make me cherish the Second Amendment. Civilians should never be at the mercy of others to protect themselves.
Russia got behind the South Ossetians since 1990 when Soviet Union collapsed and these two couldnt get along together. 18 years now, how the hell Saakashvili sees them living together? I dont know. Exactly the same situation is with Abkhaziya. Abkhaziya fought in 1992 and now south ossetia is in a war.